Exploring the intensive parenting practices of parents from low-income households and the consequences for well-being

Background: Intensive parenting refers to a child-rearing approach focusing on a child’s emotional, cognitive and psychological needs that is emotionally and financially demanding for parents. This approach to parenting has become normalised practice in Western countries and is often promoted through governmental policy and the media. Intensive parenting ideologies were initially grounded in middle-class values, however, recent evidence suggests all parents, regardless of class, now attempt to engage in intensive parenting to varying degrees. Although, this likely carries additional emotional burdens for parents who are socially and economically disadvantaged. Typically, a greater weight of intensive parenting expectations is also unevenly heaped upon mothers rather than fathers, therefore highlighting gender disparities which could have consequences for mothers’ well-being. Intensive parenting is often associated with detrimental well-being outcomes for mothers but rarely explored from their perspective in detail. Aim and Methodology: This research aims to explore the experiences of parents from lower-income households regarding the intensification of parenting and the associated affect upon their well-being analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Findings: The findings emphasise how intensive parenting is a complicated, multi-faceted phenomenon involving social, cultural and structural influences that further reinforce parenting pressures with largely detrimental ramifications upon the well-being of parents from lower-income households. Moreover, the findings highlight how mothers’ and fathers’ experiences of intensive parenting pressures differ. Conclusion: Given participants’ accounts of their negative experiences of intensive parenting pressures and the impact upon well-being, recommendations are discussed. Including calls for systemic understanding of structural pressures, changes to support services to offer strength-based approaches and peer-support, and social and cultural change surrounding parenting beliefs which reinforce parenting pressures.